Livin' Lite Forum

QuickSilver => General Q & A => Topic started by: [email protected] on August 26, 2019, 11:50:46 PM

Title: Quicksilver 8.1 wheel bearing maintenance
Post by: [email protected] on August 26, 2019, 11:50:46 PM
I just bought a 2015 Quicksilver 8.1 yesterday, and from reading the owner's manual, it appears that one of the critical maintenance tasks is to check and lubricate the wheel bearings.  Some posts mention Bearing Buddies or Dexter axles or other options to use a grease gun to change the bearing grease, but I don't know if I have that option.  I have never owned a camper of any sort.  Is there an on-line reference showing how to determine if I have the grease gun option, and if not, a description of how to check and lubricate the wheel bearings?  I am fairly comfortable with tools and torque wrenches and mechanical stuff, but is this a maintenance item that is better left to professionals?

Thanks.
Steve
Title: Re: Quicksilver 8.1 wheel bearing maintenance
Post by: DavidM on August 27, 2019, 06:21:18 AM
If the hub of each bearing has a black rubber plug insert on the end then you have grease gun greaseable bearings. Pop off the rubber plug and you will see a zerk fitting inisde. Use a grease gun with a wheel bearing grease cartridge and pump grease until the spring gets compressed and grease leaks around the edges inside. That is all it takes.

If you don't have this type of bearing, let us know. I greased lots of bearings that way several decades ago can help you with that. But I think almost all modern campers have grease gun bearings.

David
Title: Re: Quicksilver 8.1 wheel bearing maintenance
Post by: [email protected] on August 27, 2019, 10:27:37 AM
David,

Here is the what the wheel/hub looks like from the outside.  I am not seeing any way to use a grease gun on this hub, but perhaps I need to pry off the inner cap on the silver hub cap?  The previous owner may not have done any maintenance, so I'm not sure what I will find when I open these up.  See the attached image and see if that provides any information.

Steve
Title: Re: Quicksilver 8.1 wheel bearing maintenance
Post by: DavidM on August 27, 2019, 01:29:02 PM
If that end cap isn't removable, and it looks like on the top it is but on the side it isn't (the pic seems to show that it is on a bit crooked), then remove the wheel. Also your end cap looks like it is a metal snap on whereas some are rubber. The zerk fitting should be obvious with the wheel removed. If no zerk fitting then you have to manually pack the bearing with grease.

See the attached pic of the wheel removed with a grease gun attached to the zerk fitting.

David
Title: Re: Quicksilver 8.1 wheel bearing maintenance
Post by: [email protected] on August 27, 2019, 02:31:37 PM
Thanks, I will investigate this weekend.  I'll start with popping the small cap off and see what is there, then remove the wheel if needed.  When I get to the point of replacing grease, either full repack or with grease gun, what is the recommended grease?  The owner's manual doesn't specify a particular grease.  This will be used in Colorado for 3 season use only.
Steve
Title: Re: Quicksilver 8.1 wheel bearing maintenance
Post by: DavidM on August 27, 2019, 03:07:35 PM
Wheel bearing grease from your local auto parts store.

David
Title: Re: Quicksilver 8.1 wheel bearing maintenance
Post by: [email protected] on August 27, 2019, 03:13:37 PM
Thanks!
Title: Re: Quicksilver 8.1 wheel bearing maintenance
Post by: [email protected] on August 31, 2019, 02:47:38 PM
Learned something new today.  My camper has the Dexter hubs with the grease gun fitting, so it was easy to add new grease.
Title: Re: Quicksilver 8.1 wheel bearing maintenance
Post by: chappy133 on September 03, 2019, 10:33:21 AM
The biggest challenge I have greasing the wheel bearings is getting that rubber cover back on.